Life at Monkey Hill

We're a bunch of monkeys who live on a hill. This is the continuing story of our life. Please watch out for the poo.

Saturday, September 30, 2006

Month One

This past Friday my baby became one month old. I can't get over the changes that have occurred in our lives these past 30 days. I went from just being pregnant to nursing a newborn, recovering from a c-section and bladder injury, treating post-partum depression, re-connecting with my husband, calling my first born 'Sissy', and realizing that someday my husband will have to deal with three women under one roof having their periods at the same time rather than two.

Watching Piper change from a fresh-from-the-womb one-day-old to the seasoned age of thirty days has been nothing short of amazing. Her eyes light up when she awakes. She smiles when we kiss her. She is most comfortable crossing her feet at the ankles and keeping her fists under her chin much like a vampire bat. She poops an awful lot and is able to excrete with such force that one diaperless time her poo made its way across the changing table. Her concentration on performing number two is such that I feel I should offer her the newspaper only to have her retort, "This is serious business, lady. It needs my full attention."

And oh, how serious is Piper! She has this look that can stop you dead in your tracks. You think you have found the appropriate solution to one of her problems only to be told with austerity, "You have no clue what you are doing. I want to speak with your manager!"

She is a physically strong baby- held up her head right after delivery. I will put her over my shoulder to burp and her neck stiffens while her head seeks more milk. She nurses with great gusto. During her waking moments, her hands and feet are always in motion; involuntary reflexes to the synapses in her brain. One move that we know is purposeful is when her lone middle finger will rise telling us that not only can she understand what we are saying to each other, but that she has mastered comedic timing. This will take her far in life.

We have yet to see if Piper is a dog person or a cat person. Much to my surprise, my dog has accepted Piper and even guards her nursery while we are in there. If a cat tries to make it's way in to have a siesta in the crib, or to steal her breath, he chases it away. Of course, he only does while we are *in* the nursery so many a time we have entered to find a cat curled up in the crib. Our orange tabby Griffen is so bold that once he jumped in my lap while nursing the baby. Once.

Piper's had many friends and relatives visit for which we are very thankful. Not only have they provided us company, they have brought tasty meals, walked my dogs, done my dishes, and even vacuumed my house. Karma is working to my family's advantage~what a blessing!

I can't say what the next month will bring us other than Piper continuing to thrive and my love for her continuing to grow deeper.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

We're not strangling elephants

That sound you hear? It's not an animal being tortured, I promise you that. It's Darian's new activity:She's only had one lesson which entailed learning how to put the trombone together and blow. So practice is just her blowing as loud as she can then remarking how each note sounds like flatulence. It's going to be a fun school year!

Friday, September 22, 2006

'Scuse me while I kiss this guy

Awake at 4am and trying to get the baby to burp, I suggested to my husband that if he walk around in a jaunty way, Piper would let loose the gas. My sexy husband then did his best impression of John Travolta a la Saturday Night Fever which prompted me to break out in song.

Maybe it was the fact that I was so sleep deprived, but I became hysterical hearing my husband say this and I nearly busted out what had been recently sewn up during Piper's birth. " For 30 years, you have been thinking the words to that song are actually humm-anna humm-anna humm-anna?!!!!"

"NO- WOMAN-UH, woman-ah, woman-ah."

My response: to continue with the laughter.

"See, this is why I reserve myself when baring my soul to you. You laugh at me incessantly."

You would too, internet. Right? What song lyrics have you been mistaken about for the past 3 decades?

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Weekly Update- No Comment

I'm not about to say that having a newborn in the house is easy. It's been 9 years since we've done this sort of work and I will be the first to admit it's the toughest job I have ever had. I'm sure my feelings will change once my oldest is going through puberty, but for now, the feedings every two to five hours- depending on Piper's desires- are taking their toll on me; Piper's not even 3 weeks old! I feel like I am one giant nipple. My husband assured me that, in fact, I am two giant nipples. Thanks, love. Though I am the keeper of the nipples, Piper seems to think that nipples grow all around her. From her daddy's t-shirt to her sister's hair, she is on the constant hunt for food.

I like to think that I time my days around her feedings, but in looking back over the past 17 days, my days are simply spent feeding her. That's it! Yeah, there are the diaper changes and the sleeping, but this entry is all about how much Piper eats.

I have a limited milk supply due to a reconstructive breast surgery six years ago, so we supplement her feedings with formula. Our routine has turned into breasting, bottle, breast again, then PUMP! This takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and half and it makes me very, very, tired. I'm supposed to then sleep when Piper is sleeping, but I get too restless and must do things like what I am doing now. Needless to say, I think I showered two days ago. Which was a luxury, as was the trip to Target for a new coffee maker. I have ambitions today of leaving the house, but my nipples now signal it is time again to feed.

Hard to type when baby is trying to locate nipple in my shirt collar or here on this blog post.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

The newest addition to our family

For the past couple of years, you may have been visiting us over at Ce Soir ou Jamais. Now that I have had another baby, I can't for the life of me figure out why I chose the name of a perfume for my blog when the name of my house is a lot more interesting. That said, J Bo and family have moved to this new address. Please update your favorites!

In case you missed it over at the old place, I thought I would break ground here with the latest post. Frankly, I am too tired to come up with anything more clever.

Piper!!

I would have never dreamt this in a million years, but on August 29, two weeks ago today, I gave birth to my second daughter. I've not the time to tell you all the drama and excitement that has surrounded her arrival into this world, though I will say that she is absolutely perfect. PERFECT.

Here she is just minutes old.

And here she is earlier this morning. Like her mommy, she is waiting to get her nails done.

I can't say when I will be back online to share with you the highs and lows that comes with being a new (again) mommy, but I promise it will be soon! I know I can't keep my fans waiting too long.